Pasta with Sardines, Sicilian Style

Method

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the wild fennel (finocchietto) for about 10 seconds to aromatize the water. Remove the fennel.
2. Chop the blanched fennel coarsely, discarding the thick stems.
3. In a cold pan, add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, chopped onion, and an anchovy fillet. Cook over medium heat until the onion has softened and the liquid has evaporated, creating a fragrant base.
4. Dissolve a pinch of saffron in a ladle of hot water and add to the pan.
5. Add pine nuts and raisins (raisins should be rehydrated in warm water) to the pan.
6. Gently lay cleaned, butterflied sardines (about 8 per serving) into the pan.
7. Add the chopped fennel to the pan.
8. Pour in a little of the aromatic water from blanching, cover, and cook for 3–4 minutes maximum to avoid breaking the sardines.
9. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the reserved aromatic water until very al dente.
10. Drain the pasta very al dente and transfer it to the pan with the sauce.
11. Finish cooking the pasta in the pan over high heat, tossing with extra virgin olive oil to create a creamy emulsion. Add more chopped fennel if desired.
12. Serve immediately, optionally with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a grind of black pepper.